We also encourage our investors to order inspection reports and appraisals too.

One could argue that years of quantitative easing and low interest rates have masked underlying issues that could lead to a magnified and painful recession somewhere down the line.Can anybody provide me with some advice and words of encouragement OR caution?

Keep in mind too, the taxes are part of the closing process in most loans that you are using and thus have to be prepaid for the following year. 

I don't have any kids of my own, and so I'm wondering what the best (most widely recognized) tools are to find the best schools in an area, and (ideally) the schools "coverage" map too.  

God Bless America, God Bless the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines and especially bless those bad asses in the ski masks that aren't supposed to exist but I am sure glad they are on our side and good damn night...I have been doing research all night and now I am going to take the rest of this Sunday off.

This happened to me too.

Take a qualified inspector or contractor out there with you to go over the property with a fine tooth comb.Old homes can provide a great pricing opportunity, especially if you are wanting to rehab it anyway. 

If you are insured for 10M, and you get sued for 20M, they may decide that 10M is well worth fighting tooth-and-nail for, so they bring their legal-guns to bare in your defense.

Go over the sale list with a fine tooth comb.

In the ones I'm buying, they are using a professional management company too.